Picked Up by Konan

Clearly, this child was just like she, Nagato, and Yahiko had once been—a wandering orphan in the Land of Rain.

After she and Nagato killed Hanzō and began setting the Land of Rain in order, the resulting war must have caused this child to lose his parents.

That was why he could no longer survive there and wanted to leave the Land of Rain.

Unfortunately, he had been far too hungry and fainted after making it this far.

By the time he woke up, he no longer had the strength to move and could only lie here, waiting to die.

Thinking of this, a trace of guilt and heartache rose in Konan's heart, along with a deep sense of empathy.

She had once been like this child as well, turned into an orphan by war and often left hungry and cold.

The reason she thought so was not only because Chentian had the same gaze as the deceased Yahiko, but also because the chakra in his body was so weak it was almost nonexistent. He was clearly just an ordinary person.

Konan placed all her guilt toward the Land of Rain onto this child and decided to take him back first.

Chentian had no idea what was going through Konan's mind. He only saw her standing beside him, looking dazed and foolish.

Guilt and nostalgia alternated across that stunningly beautiful face, constantly changing.

If he had known what Konan was thinking, he definitely would have said, "My clothes were torn by small animals; I'm filthy because I've been lying here for two days; I'm pale and skinny because my body was modified too severely. I used to have natural energy replenishing me, but after I stopped absorbing it, it started consuming the energy inside my body instead; and that look in my eyes was just because I was stunned by your beauty!"

Unfortunately, he knew none of this. He did not even know about his own changes and was still hoping Konan would not recognize him.

"Hey, hey, hey! What are you doing? Stop it, you female hooligan!"

Suddenly, Konan reached out and picked Chentian up. Though he was screaming curses in his heart, he had no way to stop her.

Watching helplessly as the Land of Rain drew closer and closer, Chentian completely gave up on his unrealistic fantasies.

His bright eyes were filled with helplessness. He could only resign himself to fate.

Before long, Konan brought Chentian into the Land of Rain, found a room to temporarily put him down in, then left alone to find Nagato.

Konan knew very well that Nagato's true body could not be exposed.

"Damn woman, couldn't you at least put me in a better position?"

His head was tilted to the right, his left arm pressed beneath him, and his entire body twisted like an octopus. Although he could not feel it, Chentian was still extremely annoyed.

As his eyes darted around, he suddenly spotted a large mirror not far from the bed.

His thoughts immediately began to wander. Could this be Konan's own room? Women really do love beauty—what a huge mirror!

But before he could finish marveling, something terrifying happened. Who was that person in the mirror?

The instant he saw his reflection, Chentian did not recognize himself.

Leaving aside the change in his appearance, what was with the bird droppings on his forehead? And why was his hair like a bird's nest?

Why had his handsome Imperial God Robe turned into beggar's clothes?

A string of questions rose in his mind. Though he did not want to admit it, he knew that was him! The system had simply messed with him.

Then he let out a huge sigh of relief. Changing his appearance was great—now he would not have to worry about being recognized!

With his life no longer in danger, his big heart immediately kicked in. In an instant, he guessed why Konan had brought him back.

In the original story, Konan had been very kind when she was young. It was only later that life changed her.

Even so, there had to be at least some kindness left in her heart. It could not have been completely worn away.

They had founded the Akatsuki organization so everyone could live peacefully, yet the Land of Rain had entered war once again because of them. That was why she felt guilty.

Combined with his current miserable appearance, everything fell naturally into place.

Once he understood Konan's intentions, Chentian no longer worried at all and began looking around Konan's room.

Meanwhile, after leaving the room, Konan made her way to where Nagato's true body was located.

"Creak!" Pushing open the door, Konan softly said, "Nagato, I'm back."

"How did it go? Were you hurt?" Nagato's voice was somewhat low, but it was full of concern.

Ever since Yahiko's death, Konan had been his only family.

"All the ninja who tried to flee were killed, and I wasn't injured." After pausing, Konan added, "I brought back a child who was nearly starved to death because of the war."

She then recounted everything that had happened after encountering Chentian and suggested taking him in.

Nagato frowned at first, but as Konan continued, he gradually relaxed.

When he learned Chentian had become an orphan because of the war, guilt flickered through his eyes before turning into resolve.

He was doing this for peace in the ninja world. Sacrificing a small number of people was necessary!

If Chentian had seen their emotions at that moment, he definitely would have sighed, Young people...

They had only recently avenged Yahiko, and the Akatsuki organization had only just begun preparing to recruit rogue ninja.

If it had been twelve years later, after they had spent years scheming against a group of rogue ninja, they probably would have destroyed him on the spot the moment they saw him.

No matter the world, twenty-year-olds were never that deeply calculating!

After Konan finished explaining, Nagato finally said, "Fine, but he won't be a member of Akatsuki."

Akatsuki's future members would all be S-rank rogue ninja. There was no place for an ordinary child among them.

This was also for the child's own good, keeping him away from those dangerous people.

Nagato then added, "You can teach that child ninjutsu. If you need any techniques, come to me."

Hearing this, Konan revealed a charming smile, as though the endless rain of the Land of Rain had been washed away.

Since this child became like this because of us, let me make it up to him!

Thinking this, Konan did not consider at all that she had imagined the entire thing herself. Chentian had not said a single word!

Emotional women were truly terrifying!

After leaving Nagato, Konan quickly returned to her room with a pile of food in her hands.

When she saw Chentian's miserable appearance, especially the glaring bird droppings, she immediately slapped her forehead.

She put down the food, picked him up, and took him to bathe.

"Female hooligan! My innocence! You have to take responsibility for me!"

As he enjoyed a beautiful woman giving him a free scrub, Chentian nearly laughed crooked in his heart.

During the process, Konan's cheeks were flushed red, and she was extremely embarrassed.

Although Chentian was only a seven-year-old child, he was already over one meter forty tall. Besides, Konan herself was only nineteen this year.

After bathing him and changing his clothes, Konan tossed him onto the bed and began feeding him.

Though it was all liquid food, Chentian was still extremely satisfied.

After finishing all that, Konan left him to recover on his own and went to rest in another room.

She was also exhausted after going out to hunt down the disobedient ninja of the Land of Rain.

Not long after Konan left, Chentian suddenly discovered that his fingers seemed able to move.

Then, little by little, his arms, calves, thighs, and the rest of his body regained sensation. It would not be long before he could move again.